Feeling A Draft

Pro day held at Shepherd to evaluate prospects

April 10, 2014

SHEPHERDSTOWN - Before stopping to talk, Robert Hayes handed his girlfriend a business card, giving her a "don't-lose-this" look.

Whether anything comes of the card handed to him by a scout from the Buffalo Bills, Hayes will find out next month when the National Football League holds its annual draft and then its teams sign free agents from among the collegiate ranks.

"I take it as a good sign," Hayes said.

Article Photos

Journal photo by Rick KozlowskiPlayers participate in blocking drills held during Wednesday’s pro day workout at Shepherd University. Seven members of the Rams, plus two from other Mountain East Conference schools took part.

Hayes and six of his teammates, plus two others from Mountain East Conference schools, participated in Shepherd's first pro day on Wednesday.

The players performed in front of a collection of scouts from the Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens and Bills - many of the same talent-evaluators who made regular visits to Shepherd practices during the fall.

"It's awesome to have this many teams here," Shepherd coach Monte Cater said.

Much of the attention from the scouts was on Shepherd's four defensive linemen, three of them first-team all-MEC honorees - including Hayes, the league's defensive player of the year and Academic All-American - from a team ranked among the nation's best defenses in Division II during an 11-1 league-championship season.

Speedy Shepherd defensive end Howard Jones, who participated in the NFL combine, is projected as an outside linebacker in professional football.

Jones' bookend at Shepherd, Hayes, could find himself converting to a different position, too, if the NFL calls.

"They ask if I can do fullback," Hayes said. "I've always been a hard-nosed defensive end, so why not try to open holes for the running backs."

A center on offense in high school, Hayes said there were a couple of times when he played fullback.

"It's not totally new," Hayes said, "but I got to make a transition.

"If I spend one or two days (learning it), I can do it."

He said the Bills "are definitely interested in me as a fullback."

Hayes spent part of his workout catching footballs tossed quickly from close range to test his reflexes and "to see how I can contort my body."

Jones, wearing his NFL-issued combine attire, went through a regimen of coverage drops with the ball being thrown to him by a scout from the Bengals.

Jones, feeling a bit jet-lagged, had returned at 2 a.m. from a visit to the Arizona Cardinals and skipped running the 40-yard dash.

After running a 4.6-second, laser-timed 40 at the combine, Jones took a trip to a pro day at West Virginia University and clocked in at hand-held times of 4.41 and 4.40.

"I'm not stressed at all," Jones said. "It's a lot of work."

Jones felt like he caught the attention of NFL scouts with his combine effort.

"I think so," Jones said. "I just want to give the best of my ability and be confident. That's all you can do."

He'll be visiting the Dallas Cowboys on Monday.

Defensive tackle Mike Franklin, who rooted for his teammates during the workout, will be making a trip to Detroit to participate in the NFL-sponsored Super Regional Combine. That invitation stems from a performance at a regional event.

"I think I did pretty well," Franklin said. "I need to work on pad level so my hips are lower. ... It's something I can work on.

"I feel like I'm getting good vibes, getting good feedback from the scouts."

Franklin said he's projected as a defensive tackle, his position at Shepherd. Asked about the potential of playing nose tackle in a 3-4 defensive alignment, he said, "I don't think I'm quite the size. I'm about 30 pounds short.